Chapter 7

The Aoiya

"Hey, Baka-Sou-kun! Help me out with these buckets!" A familiar voice rang through the Aoiya. "Coming, Misao-donno." another replied.

Inside the kitchen, Okon and Omasu were busy gossiping once more. "Those two sure have been hanging around each other a lot." Okon smirked, her head piecing together endless scenarios, each more ludicrous than the next. "Well you won't believe what I saw the other day." Omasu said, her eyes glinting of some scandalous behavior. "Oh really? What would merit such attention of your?" Okon said sarcastically, knowing that it would probably be about Misao and Soujirou again. Of what intensity, she was about to find out. "Misao took him into the woods..." Omasu said, a light mischief in her voice. "Oh my." Okon replied, her hand over her mouth.

"Well, that was certainly very forward of our little Misao." Omasu said. "You don't suppose they..." Okon whispered, still scandalized that Misao would do such a thing. "No, no, of course not. Nothing of the sort." Omasu said, waving her hands in defense. "How can you be so sure?" Okon countered. "Well, if it was just Mi-chan and some other male, there might be a slim chance of it happening, but look at them together." Omasu tilted her head at the pair. Sure enough, Misao and Soujirou were having an old fashioned water fight, and the buckets flowed freely. "ARGH! BAKA-SOU, THAT WAS COLD!!!" "ARA?! IT DID'T SEEM SO COLD WHEN YOU POURED IT ON ME, MISAO- DONNO!"

Okon saw what Omasu meant by them together. Misao was truly a free spirit, and outdated ideas would never really hold much sway for her, but Soujirou was a different story. He acted as a foil for Misao, using checks and balances to make sure that whatever happens it would be to the best advantage of Misao. In truth though, Soujirou was letting himself get beaten in the long run by the little lady, even though he was the more controlled in emotions of the two. Try as he might, he could never fight off the subconscious advances of the kunoichi, who was feeling more and more confused by the growing affection she held for 'her' baka-Sou-kun.

"I see. No matter what happens, Soujirou would never lead Misao to anything that might hurt her." Okon nodded in understanding. "Too true..." Omasu sighed, smiling as she watched the two bicker as to why they started this water fight in the first place. "I just wonder how Aoshi's going to take it." Okon said, attending to her cooking.

Courtyard:

"Now you're gonna' get it, Soujirou! Kansatsu Tobibucket!" Misao yelled, throwing the last bucket of water at the hapless rurouni. "Ara! You got me Misao-donno. I am vanquished." Soujirou said dramatically, holding his hand over his heart, making as if he would faint. "But I'm not going to hell alone. I will just have to take you with me!" Soujirou said, suddenly pulling out from his fake collapse and grabbing Misao firmly by the waist. "AAHH! Sou-kun, what are you doiiiing!!!" Misao screamed as she was pulled down by her Baka, right into the koi pond! The overgrown goldfish never knew what hit them. "Baka-Sou, you jerk!" Misao laughed, punching Soujirou playfully in the arm. "Like you said, Misao-donno, it's not as if we could get any wetter." Soujirou said, standing up and extending a hand to Misao. Misao smiled softly, taking her friends' grasp.

Too bad the pond floor was so slippery. Misao caught her foot on one of the fish and tripped, bringing Soujirou down a second time. Soujirou wrapped his arm around Misao's small frame, just in time before she hit the water. "Nice catch..." Misao said. Soujirou's face was so close to hers, so close she could feel his warm breath on her chilled skin. And so to was it for Soujirou. His arm around Misao's waist, their bodies pressed together, her soft lips only a few inches away. The water made his skin prickle, and now his super-sensitive body felt every shift, every breath, every small shiver Misao's body gave off. They both thought of how easy it would have been just to close their eyes and let their feelings take course.

But since this fic is luck based, and it seems these two have had so much of the good kind, it's time to spoil their fun.

"Ohohohoho. My pretty little Misao in the arms of one other than Aoshi? I knew you would bring more excitement into this house, Seta-san, but I never bargained for this." Old Nenji laughed as he came to the garden. "J-Jiya?!" Misao stammered. "O-Okina-san" said en equally embarrassed Soujirou. Quickly the two teens disentangled and stepped out of the water. "You know I won't interfere with you two, but I would hate for you two to catch a cold. This is a hostel after all. Plenty of other less drafty places." Okina teased. "Gramps, we were just-" Misao began, but Okina just cut her off. "Nope, you won't spoil my fun. Besides, what's the opinion of one old man anyway. Hyehyehyehye!" the elder ninja laughed. His face sobered slightly though as he bought the situation back into hand. "Anyways, I'm just a delivery boy today. Seems as if Kaoru and her friends sent you another letter, Misao." Okina said, handing a folded paper to the wet girl. "Oh, ok, Jiya. Thanks." Misao said, accepting the letter. It wasn't that big a deal for her to receive letters from her friends in Tokyo. However the news inside was a little more than she bargained for.

"Kenshin and Kaoru are heading over here for their honeymoon!"

Authors notes: Oh my. I cannot apologize enough for taking so long in posting. Also for the short length of this chapter. I should be chained to a rock and have a giant vulture peck out my liver. Greetings, my friends. I just took a break from writing this little story to update my NGE stories. It's not that they have more priority than this. It's just that I've been so caught up with this story that I had to update my others because of lack of updating. I hope this doesn't become a habit. Anyway, today's story is just about how much closer and closer Sou and Mi-chan are getting. Also, Kenshin and Kaoru are already married. They just took a month off before their honeymoon, so if anybody was wondering why Misao wasn't at the wedding, she was, only that it was before Soujirou came along so there wouldn't be much mention. So what will the master reformed hitokiri say to the student? Will Kaoru and Kenshin's marriage finally push Misao and Soujirou closer. Will Kenji be conceived in this fic?!? Find out next time, on Four Leafed Clovers...

-FPotM